A meta-analytic investigation of digital transformation: Antecedents, consequences, and contingencies

Abstract

Digital transformation (DT) has become a strategic imperative for enterprises to drive innovation and sustain competitiveness in the digital economy. Despite the vast literature on DT, the empirical findings remain mixed and inconsistent, leading to a lack of consensus regarding the relationships between DT and its factors and outcomes. This study proposes an integrated theoretical framework and conducts a meta-analysis of 74 primary studies, in order to clarify the links of DT with its antecedents and consequences and determine their boundary conditions. The results confirm the significant positive associations of DT with technology-organization-environment (TOE) factors as well as competency and performance outcomes. Particularly, DT is more susceptible to digital technology usage and dynamic capabilities, whereas it exerts greater influence on enterprise resilience and supply chain performance. Furthermore, measurement method, industry type, and national economy function as contingencies that moderate these linkages, with stronger effects observed in subjective measurement, manufacturing industry, and advanced economy. This study resolves the inconsistency and yields a conclusive takeaway on the above relationships, which provides new insights into the DT field and important implications for practitioners and policymakers.